Multi-Level Skimming of Multimedia Content Using Playlists

• US 20060147018A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: He, Li-Wei, Gupta, Anoop, Omoigui, Nosakhare D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A skimmed or preview version of multimedia content is provided to a client computer by a server computer using playlists. The skimmed version of multimedia content can be presented to a user of a client computer in less time than presenting the entire multimedia content would require. The server computer maintains skimming information that identifies particular segments of the multimedia content corresponding to the skimmed version. The server computer uses the skimming information to generate a playlist, which in turn is used by the server computer to access the appropriate segments of the multimedia content and provide the segments to the client computer.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing a skimmed version of multimedia content, the computer system comprising:

means for accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;

means for using the first skimming information to generate a playlist that identifies a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; and

means for forwarding the first plurality of segments identified by the playlist to a client computer.

2. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for forwarding comprises means for streaming the first plurality of segments to the client computer.

3. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first skimming information comprises time ranges that identify the first plurality of segments.

4. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first skimming information comprises rankings for the first plurality of segments as well as additional segments of the multimedia content.

5. A computer system for storing a plurality of playlists of skimmed versions of multimedia content, the computer system comprising:

means for identifying, for each of a plurality of skimming levels, a playlist that identifies a plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the identified skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;

means for storing, for each of the plurality of skimming levels, the playlist; and

means for using the playlist for a selected one of the plurality of skimming levels to identify which segments of the multimedia content are to be provided to a client computer for the selected one of the plurality of skimming levels.

6. A computer system as recited in claim 5, wherein the means for storing comprises means for storing the playlist in a same data structure as the multimedia content is stored in.

7. A computer system as recited in claim 6, further comprising means for storing, in the same data structure as the multimedia content is stored in, an indication of how many skimming levels comprise the plurality of skimming levels.

8. A computer system as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for storing a specialized independent frame to be used to present a first dependent frame of one of the plurality of segments.

9. A computer system for storing a plurality of playlists of skimmed versions of multimedia content, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that cause the processor to;

identify, for each of a plurality of skimming levels, a playlist that identifies a plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the identified skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;

store, for each of the plurality of skimming levels, the playlist; and

use the playlist for a selected one of the plurality of skimming levels to identify which segments of the multimedia content are to be provided to a client computer for the selected one of the plurality of skimming levels.

10. A computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein to store the playlist is to store the playlist in a same data structure as the multimedia content is stored in.

11. A computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to store, in the same data structure as the multimedia content is stored in, an indication of how many skimming levels comprise the plurality of skimming levels.

12. A computer system as recited in claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to store a specialized independent frame to be used to present a first dependent frame of one of the plurality of segments.